Sealed-in contact relay



April 4, 1961 w. LOHS EI'AL 2,978,556

SEALED-IN CONTACT RELAY Filed April 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 4, 1961 w. LOHS ETAL 2,978,556 SEALED-IN CONTACT RELAY Filed April 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Waffyzny J/aase, Werner Coragt,

United States Patent 2,978,556 SEALED-IN CONTACT RELAY Willy Lohs, Friedrich Sommer, Werner Lehmann, WolfgangHaase, and Werner Cordt, all of Munich, Germany, assignors to Siemens and Halske Aktiengesellschaft Berlin and Munich, a corporation of Germany Filed Apr. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 809,487 Claims priority, application Germany May 6, 1958 8 Claims. (Cl. 200-104) This invention is concerned with a particularly advantageous disposition and cooperation of parts in the construction of a relay comprising sealed-in contacts.

Sealed-in contacts, that is, contacts contained in a protective tube, also referred to as protective tube contacts, are actuated by impressing upon the contact springs a magnetic flux producing a force across the air gap of the contact springs which causes attraction and therewith closure thereof. This magnetic flux is customarily produced by means of an energizing or exciter windingsurrounding the contacts. In order to keep the magnetic energy to be produced by the exciter winding as low as possible, there are provided magnetic return members for conducting the flux leaving one contact spring directly to the other contact spring. The magnetic circuit of such a sealed-in contact relay accordingly consists essentially of the tube-enclosed contacts and the means forming the magnetic return circuit.

The sealed-in contact relay according to the invention comprises two layers of sealed-in contacts which are surrounded by a common exciter or energizing coil. The relay contains two magnetic return circuits formed of metallic strips, each such magnetic circuit being respectively asociated with or alloted to a layer of sealed-in contacts.

The object of the invention is to simplify as much as possible the structure of such a sealed-in contact relay. and particularly the assembling of the parts thereof so as to form a unit that can also be easily taken apart.

' -In accordance with the invention, the sealed-in contact relay is provided with a coil-spool body having at its ends webs or extensions projecting approximately axiallythereprising two shells 3 which are held together by the coil 2. The spool body has four webs or extensions 4 projecting from the ends thereof. Between these extensions are slidably disposed carrier members 5 for the sealed-in contacts 1, these carrier members being provided with recesses on the sides thereof facing the extensions 4 for cooperation with guides 6 carried by the extensions 4 incident to insertion of the carrier members between the extensions 4. The carrier members 5 are in this manner secured in position in one direction. The ends of the magnetic return flow members 7 are also disposed between the extensions 4. These ends of the magnetic return flow members 7 are extended to the carrier members 5 to form the magnetic connection for the ends of the contact springs projecting from the various protective tubes 1. Between the ends of the magnetic return flow members 7 and the carrier members 5 are disposed insulating plates 8 for electrically separating the ends of contact springs and the magnetic return flow members. The ends of the contact springs are in part held in grooves formed in the carrier members 5. In order to prevent the carrier members 5 from slipping out after the assembly thereof, they are provided with ears 15 which are positioned in back of the angularly extending parts of the magnetic return flow members 7. The entire assembly is held together by resilient clamps 9 which are in the illustrated example U-shaped. These clamps press the magnetic return flow members together.

The assembly is secured once the clamps 9 are placed in position. The extensions 4 forming with the shells 3 of the spool body (which are held together by the energizing coil 2) a rigid assembly, hold the carrier members from, carrier means for the sealed-in contacts being slidably disposed between such extensions, and the ends of the means forming the magnetic return circuits extending to such carrier means being inserted therebetween, the entire arrangement being held together by meansof resilient clamps acting to press the return circuit means together. 7

The objects and features of the invention will appear from the description which is rendered below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing a sealed-in contact relay according to the invention and various views of parts thereof. In the drawings,

Fig. *1 shows a sealed-in contact, in the illustrated case, a make contact;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the relay;

Fig. 3 represents an end view of the relay;

Fig. 4 indicates the parts in exploded view;

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the action of the clamps holding the parts together; and i Fig. 7 shows in perspective view an embodiment of a sealed-in contact relay structure according to the invention, comprising components forming two relays.

Referring now to the drawings, the relay according to the invention comprises two layers of sealed-in contacts 1 which are surrounded by an exciter or energizing coil 2.

This energizing coil is wound upon a spool body comfor the sealed-in contacts and the ends of the magnetic return flow members 7 together. These parts are accordingly laterally held by the extensions 4. They cannot leave the space between the extensions so long as they are pressed together by the clamps 9. The ends of the magnetic return fiow members 7 which extend angularly from the main body thereof hold the shells 3 of the spool body in assigned position. The entire arrangement forms in this manner a structural unit.

The assembly of the sealed-in contact relay according to the invention thus merely requires putting its parts together and securing them by means of the clamps. 9. Taking the relay apart merely requires removal of the two clamps. The assembly and taking apart are thus made very simple.

In the illustrated embodiment, the clamps 9 are disposed in slots 10 at the ends of the magnetic return flow members 7. Figs. 5 and 6 show how the clamp members 9 are held in these slots. The legs of the clamps are tensioned sothat they are drawn together. The ends of the legs of the clamps are bent over to secure them in assigned position. Fig. 5 shows the manner in which a clamp is inserted, the figure also showing the ends of the two magnetic return flow members 7, the outline of the carrier member 5, the insulating plates 8 and also the ends of the sealed-in contact springs. Fig. 5 shows the clamp with the ends 11 spread apart over the lower magnetic return member; Fig. 6 showing the clamp 9 in clamping position in which the securing ends 11 engage in back of the lower magnetic return flow member. In order to permit the spreading of the legs of the clamp 9 incident to its placement, the extensions 4 are provided with grooves 16 formed therein which face the slots 10 in the ends of the magnetic return flow members.

Fig. 7 shows in perspective representation the parts of a-sealed-in contact relay'structure according to the invention, comprising two contact sets and two energizing coils embraced by common magnetic return flow members 7, thus forming in fact two relays. The structure 4 and shown therein by numeral 12.

may be extended laterally to produce relay strips having common magnetic return members.

The sealed-in contact-relay according. to the invention may. be provided with a permanent magnet for effecting premagnetization. Such premagnetization is in 'many cases desirable, especially when it is desired to affect the sensitivity of the relay. The permanent magnet is inserted between the two layers of sealed-in contacts. It consists suitably of a longitudinally slotted metallic strip having its two legs guided in grooves in the spool body and held'by spring means exerting a spreading force thereon.

Such .a permanent magnet is included in Figs. 2, and Its placement is apparent from Fig. 2; its structure and disposition is more particularly shown in Fig. 4.

As is apparent from Fig. 4, the permanent magnet 12 is provided with a slot formed therein, thereby forming two mutually resiliently acting legs. The metallic strip forming the permanent magnet 12 is secured in grooves 13 formed in the shells 3 of the spool body. Slipping out from the grooves is prevented by cars at the legs of the magnet 12 which engage in corresponding recesses formed in the grooves 13.

The permanent magnet '12 is preferably magnetized longitudinally. The magnetic field emanating therefrom is closed by way of the sealed-in contacts, thereby imparting to such contacts the desired premagnetization.

It is in many cases desirable, to provide the terminals for relay only at oneend thereof. This is made possible according to the invention, by electrically'connecting the ends of the contact springs at one end of the, relay with conductors which are carried within the spool'body to the other end of the relay and extended to the outside together with the ends of the contact springs at the corresponding end of the relay.

The corresponding conductors are indicated in Figs. 2 and 4 by numeral 14. These conductors are in the form of small metallic strips which are electrically conductively connected with one side of the sealed-in contacts and carried through the interior of the spool body. They are held and carried out at the other end at the carrier body 5.

The sealed-in contact relay according to the invention may be provided with make contacts or with switch-over contacts as desired. The carrier members are for this purpose provided with correspondingrecesses. The contacts are suitably disposed floating in these recesses so as to avoid stresses incident to expansion, for example, due to temperature increase. Fabrication tolerances are in this way also compensated. This means that no particular requirements as to accuracy need be posed so far as the mechanical construction of the relay is concerned, thereby benefiting and simplifying fabrication.

The magnetic return path means as shown in Figs. 2 to 7 impart to the relay a block-like shape which facilitates the stacking and storage thereof, reducing the possibility of damage to a minimum.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims which define what is believed to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent.

We claim: 7 i

l. A sealed-in contact relay comprising two layers of sealed-in contacts, a common energizing coil surrounding said layers of contacts, means forming a spool body for r 4 carrier means receiving the adjacent contact terminals of said sealed-in contacts and jointly with ends of said magnetic return flow members disposed extending transversely between said extensions, clamp means exerting pressure on said return flow members for securing the assembly of the parts disposed therebetween.

2. A sealed-in contact relay according to claim 1, comprising a permanent magnet inserted between said layers of sealed-in contacts.

3. A sealed-in contact relay comprising two layers of sealed-in contacts, a common energizing coil surrounding said layers of contacts, means forming a spool body for said energizing coil, a magnetic returnflow member for each layer of sealed-in contacts, extensions carried by said spool body at the ends thereof and projecting therefrom in the general direction of the spool axis, carrier means forsaid sealed-in contacts, .said carrier means jointly with ends of said magnetic return flow members disposed between-said extensions, clamp means for securing the assembly of enumerated parts, said clamp means exerting pressure on said return flow members, and a permanent magnet inserted between said layersof sealed-incontacts, said permanent magnet consisting of a longitudinally slotted plate the legs of which are guided in. grooves formed in said spool body and held in po- 'sition by-resilient spreading tendency thereof.

4. A'sealed-in contact relay according to claim 1, comprising conductors connected with the contact springs of said sealed-in contacts at one end of said relay, said'conductors extending within said spool bodyto the other end of said relay and extending from such other end jointly with the contact springs disposed at such other end.

5. 'A sealed-in contact relay comprising two layers of sealed-in contacts, a common energizing coil surrounding said layersof contacts, means forming a'spoolbody for said energizing coil, 'a magnetic return flow member for each layer of sealed-in contacts, extensions carried by said spool body at the ends thereof and projecting therefrom in the general direction of the spool axis, carrier means for said sealed-in contacts, said carrier means jointly with ends of said magnetic return flow members disposed between said extensions, clamp means exerting pressure on said return flow members for securing the assembly of the parts disposed therebetween, said clamp means being generally U-shaped, the legs of said clamp means extending. through slots formed in the ends of said return flow members, and securing means carried bysaid legs for holding the corresponding clamp means in clampingposition. v V

6. A sealed-in contact relay according to claim 5, comprising guide means carried by said extensions for'positioning said carrier means. l

7. A sealed-in contact relay according'tow claim 5, wherein the ends of said magnetic return flow members extend angularly at the ends of said spool body, said angularly extending ends being disposed between said extensions. and determining the position of said spool body with respect to. said return flow members.

8. A sealed-in contact relay according to claim 7, wherein said carriermeans is provided withears disposed in back of angularly extending ends of said magsaid energizing coil, a magnetic return flow membertor netic return flow members.

References Cited in the file of this patent unrrsn STATES PATENTS 2,187,115

Ellwood et al. Jan. l6, 1940 2,378,986 'Dick te'n June 26,1945 2,397,123.

Brown Mar. 26} 1946 

